


Second Chance

by Mommadon



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Character Death, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-30
Updated: 2020-01-30
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:06:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,219
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22483837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mommadon/pseuds/Mommadon
Summary: Five minutes to make a life-changing decision.
Comments: 17
Kudos: 41





	Second Chance

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry about this one... I guess I had some feels I needed to work out.

Ladybug took a very calculated breath as she looked at the hexagonal box in her hand. Hawkmoth knew his identity, knew his power, knew exactly how to needle away his defenses… yet, Ladybug knew him. She knew his power, knew his strengths, knew his heart, and she knew he needed to be a part of this one. 

This akuma was different. For the last month—or maybe longer? Marinette had lost track of time—Hawkmoth had seemed to be targeting her. The vestiges of her once happy and rich life was all that remained—she’d long since given up hope for art school, for a family, for a normal relationship… Not only had Hawkmoth’s akumas become more personal, her chances of finding some kind of normal world were shot. Ladybug feared he’d identified her, though she didn’t know how. This time was the worst of all, and it’d only taken her one look at the foe to know she needed help. Yet, years of experience tempered her instinct now, and she hesitated every time she did this. Once such an easy choice, the assignment of the Miraculous now weighed on her, consumed her conscience, gnawed inside her, tormented her. This little box had the ability to destroy someone—she’d seen it happen—and she wasn’t eager to press that fate on anyone. Especially someone she loved so desperately.

But, she countered as she looked up at the oncoming storm, who else could she trust? Who else was there? And she knew, deep within her where that desperate love dwelled, that he wanted to do this. This was not her choice to make; it was his. Holding back from him now would be just as damaging as asking him to wear the bangle.

So, steeling herself against the pain of it all, she slid down the railing to the lower deck of the Liberty, kicked in the door to the safe room, and found him there, his arms wrapped tightly around his younger sister. 

“Ladybug?” he said, eyebrows alert but quizzical. She motioned toward the door. He hugged Juleka and followed her out of the door.

“Luka, I can’t force you to take this,” she whimpered. Her days of proud pep-talks were over. 

He didn’t even think twice. He pulled her in for a warm embrace, then took the box and was shimmering blue and silver before she could even offer him a knowing smile.

He was running toward the dust cloud and she was struggling to keep up. Feeling the new strength of having Viperion on her side, Ladybug threw her yo-yo up, snagged a nearby lamp post, and took a huge running leap into the—

* * *

Viperion’s hands were on her shoulders. His eyes raked over her face desperately. 

“Ladybug, listen to me, we only have five minutes.”

She screamed in shock before understanding that this must be a second chance—something serious must have happened. Possibly many times.

“What’s going on, Viperion?” she asked.

He started shaking. He wrapped his fingers in the bands of her pigtails and ripped them out, then let his pinky slide through her locks. His eyes met hers and tears spilled onto his cheeks and tumbled over his lips and chin. 

“Luka, you’re scaring me—” she choked out.

“Marinette.”

“What? How?”

“It doesn’t matter. I’m going to reset the timeline in four minutes, but I needed you to know that I will always, and forever, no matter what, love you.”

It sounded like last words… no, she shook her head, “No, don’t you dare tell me you’re saying goodbye. There’s got to be another solution.”

He bit his lip. “It’s not goodbye to me, no. But I have to ask you, and I want you to know that no matter what you choose right now, my love for you will never change. I will never think any different of you, my sweet, beautiful, _amazing_ Marinette.”

“Just tell me.”

He was shaking so hard that Marinette was surprised he was still upright. But when he looked back at her, his eyes were hard as flint. “This is it. This is when we can destroy Hawkmoth.”

“Then what are you wasting time standing around here for? Let’s go do it!”

“Marinette, it’s going to come at a heavy price.”

“What?”

He took her hands so softly and lovingly that, even though she was unaware of what was happening, she still felt her heart melting and the tension changing—the adrenaline turning into strength and the excitement into dread— “You have the choice right now. I need to know your decision. Whatever you choose, I will honor in the next second chance. You have to choose: Hawkmoth, or… or…”

A fresh wave of sobs overtook him. “Who? Luka?”

“Your mother.”

Ladybug’s knees gave out and she crumpled to the ground. “What?”

“Marinette, I’m so sorry! I can’t save both the Moth Miraculous and her. I’ve tried… oh I’ve tried… thousands and thousands of times… but it has to be one or the other.”

Ladybug tried to stand but she couldn’t. He just sat by her, wrapped his arms around her shoulders, and held her. “So… she’ll be hurt?”

He shook his head. He couldn’t form the words, and she didn’t want him to. 

Her mother. Her guardian, her life giver, her home, her power, her mentor, confidante, strength, joy, and friend…

For Hawkmoth. For the years of terror to be ended. For her to finally live the life she couldn’t have while Ladybug—for her to have the chance of children and seaside vacations and quiet Christmas mornings…

Ladybug felt very selfish. She wouldn’t weigh herself into this equation.

But she couldn’t help it. Her mother would never be present at those Christmas mornings, would never get to hold one of those grandbabies in her arms, would never teach them how to wield a bo staff or sing Chinese lullabies…

Then, with a sudden lurch of her heart, Marinette realized that, with Hawkmoth around, _neither would she._

Her mind had been made up long ago. She knew the only way to finish this was this way; Luka would have seen to that. 

“Luka?”

“Yes?” he quavered.

“Promise me that you won’t ever tell me that I had to be the one to make this choice. Just help me grieve, okay?”

He took her soaked cheeks in his hands and held her. “You’re sure?”

She shook her head, “No, but there’s no other choice, is there?”

“No, there’s not,” he said lovingly. 

“I knew that. I just needed to hear you say it out loud.”

The snake on his wrist started beeping. “Marinette, I love you and I always will. I promise I’ll be by your side every moment of every day.”

She nodded, looked into his eyes as the ground started to quake, “Go. Save Paris. Do it for the greater good.”

“Marinette—”

She grabbed his wrist, cranked back the snake, and watched him fade into the future.

* * *

Feeling the new strength of having Viperion on her side, Ladybug threw her yo-yo up, snagged a nearby lamp post, and took a huge running leap into the sky. The dust cloud before her yielded no secrets, and she felt an odd sort of excitement course through her, wondering—hoping—that perhaps this would be the last time…


End file.
